AFA strives to add value to your membership Max Braswell AFA Executive Vice President
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n a regular basis over the past few years, the AFA Executive Committee and Board of Directors have reviewed and discussed the association’s financial health. It comes as no surprise that times have been tough. At its September 25 meeting, the Board of Directors approved an AFA membership dues adjustment to provide financial stability and build a much-needed reserve. To provide some background, the AFA board approved a new dues structure in 2007 that went into effect in 2008. This is the only time in more than 20 years that AFA dues have been increased. The dues structure generated just over $271,000 in membership income, which allowed the association to meet its financial goals and obligations for the year. However, since that time, dues income has averaged $247,669—a difference of over $23,000 per year, for three years. Over that same timeframe, our cash reserve dropped 63 percent. The reserve is used for operating expenses during bad economic conditions and, when needed, to engage in critical legislative, regulatory or other public policy initiatives. The AFA staff has done its best to stem the tide; we have reduced See ‘Membership’ on back
67th Annual Meeting a success
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ith more than 320 participants over three days of events and sessions, the 67th AFA Annual Meeting will go into the books as one of the most successful conferences in the association’s history.
Held September 25-27 at the Holiday Inn Airport in Little Rock, the program included a landowner workshop on timber tax, property rights and liability issues; golf and sporting clays; board of directors meeting; an exhibitors’ reception; sessions on the housing and timber markets, hot forestry topics, the weather and its impact, the benefits of wildlife management and feral hogs; an outstanding fish fry; and an awards breakfast honoring achivements in the forestry community. The Program Committee’s goal was for participants to explore and define The New Normal in which our industry operates today and how it affects the economy and environment. Plans are underway for the 68th Annual Meeting, October 1-3, 2013, at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock. If you are interested in serving on the Program Committee, please contact Jennifer Lambert at (501) 374-2441 or jlambert@arkforests.org. “We especially want to thank the sponsors and exhibitors for their support,” said AFA
October 2012
Executive Vice President Max Braswell. PLATINUM SPONSORS: Georgia-Pacific, International Paper, Outdoor Underwriters, Weyerhaeuser GOLD SPONSORS: Deltic, Evergreen Packaging, Plum Creek, Potlatch SILVER SPONSORS: Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, American Forest Management/AFM Land Sales, Bibler Bros. Lumber Co., Cowboy Dispatch, Crop Production Services – Timberland Division, Domtar, F&W Forestry Services, Farm Credit Services of Western Arkansas, Hancock Forest Management, Larson & McGowin, Molpus, Regions Timberland Group, Resource Management Service, Timber Mart-South BRONZE SPONSORS: Anthony Forest Products Co., Arkansas Board of Registration for Foresters, Brazeale Lumber Company, Davis DuBose Knight Forestry & Real Estate, International Forest Company, Kingwood Forestry Services, Neeley Forestry Service, Neill Forestry Consultants, Stevens Forestry Service EXHIBITORS: Acorn Forestry, ArborGen, Arkansas Champion Tree Project, Arkansas Division – Ouachita Society of American Foresters, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Construction Safety Products, Crop Production Services, DataScout, Davis Dubose Knight Forestry and Real Estate, Dow Agro Sciences, Forrest Keeling Nursery, Haglof Inc., International Forest Company, Landmark Spatial Solutions, Outdoor Underwriters, Provine Helicopter, Red River Specialties Inc., Robco Distributors, Superior Forestry Service Inc., UA Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Weyerhaeuser Premium Seedlings
ArborGen hosts regional meeting
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oin AFA members and staff for a Regional Membership Meeting and nursery tour on Wednesday, November 14, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the ArborGen Fred C. Gragg Nursery, 186 Nevada 420, Bluff City. “This event will be an excellent opportunity for AFA members to network and learn about nursery production,” said AFA
Executive Vice President Max Braswell. “We are looking forward to a great tour and encourage everyone to bring a guest.” Please contact Jennifer Lambert at AFA— (501) 374-2441 or jlambert@arkforests. org—to register for the event. There is no charge to attend. Refreshments will be served.
CALENDAR October 20
Central Arkansas Log A Load For Kids Sheridan
October 24
10 a.m. – Forest Protection Committee AFA Office, Little Rock
October 30-31
Forest Product Export Conference Vicksburg MS
November 14
10 a.m. – Regional Membership Meeting ArborGen Fred C. Gragg Nursery 186 Nevada 420 Bluff City, AR 71722
AFA endorses candidates who support forestry community
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he AFA Executive Committee, Board of Directors and Government Affairs Committee approved the following candidate endorsements in the November 6 General Election: U.S. House of Representatives 1st District – U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford (R) 2nd District – U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin (R) 3rd District – U.S. Rep Steve Womack (R) 4th District – Tom Cotton (R) Arkansas House of Representatives District 4 – Fonda Hawthorne (D-Ashdown) District 9 – Rep. Sheilla Lampkin (D-Monticello) District 15 – Ken Bragg (R-Sheridan) District 62 – Rep. Tommy Wren (D-Melbourne) District 65 – Rep. Tommy Thompson (D-Morrilton) In the Arkansas House races, candidates
received a financial contribution from AFA’s Forest Express Political Action Committee (PAC). “An effective government affairs program uses many strategies—from special events and projects, such as our legislative dinners, to building personal relationships with legislators,” said AFA Executive Vice President Max Braswell. Financial support is important as well. That’s why it is essential to keep the association’s Forest Express PAC strong. AFA needs to increase its presence at the Capitol. You can help by contributing to the AFA Forest Express PAC. To learn more about the PAC, visit the AFA website at www.arkforests.org and look under Programs/Advocacy or call the AFA office at (501) 374-2441.
AFA elects 2013 officers, executive committee, board
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he following officers, executive committee and board of directors will lead the Arkansas Forestry Association in 2013. President Ray Dillon, Deltic Timber Corp. Vice President Rhonda Hunter, Weyerhaeuser Secretary Pete Prutzman, Kingwood Forestry Services Treasurer Ken Bragg, Resource Management Service Executive Committee Aubra Anthony, Anthony Forest Products Steve Anthony, Anthony Timberlands Allen Bedell David Cawein, Green Bay Packaging Tom Crowder, Bragg Land Co. Glenn Gray, Georgia-Pacific Robert Gray, Potlatch Forest Holdings Steve Hanley, Plum Creek Allen Morgan, Hunter-Wasson Wayne Owen, Crop Production Services Frank Wilson, Wilson Bros. Lumber Co. 2013 AFA Board of Directors
(* Past President; +USDA liaisons & special non-voting) Bill Abernathy, ArborGen, Inc., Bluff City *John Ed Anthony, Anthony Timberlands, Hot Springs Steve Barham, Anthony Forest Products, El Dorado
Mark Beasley, Deltic Timber, El Dorado *Allen Bedell, Circle B Logging, Hot Springs *James Bibler, Russellville Mike Boyd, Evergreen Packaging, Pine Bluff Terry Bryant, Travis Lumber Co., Mansfield David Cassels, Regions Timberlan Group, Monticello Gary Churchill, Landowner, Dover Mary Clapp, Stevens Forestry, El Dorado *Peggy Clark, Clark Timberlands, Hot Springs Tom Curtner, Curtner Lumber, Newport *O. H. Darling, Crossett Bryan Davis, Davis DuBose Knight Forestry & Real Estate, Little Rock Brad Dreyer, Hancock Forest Management, Hope Mary Elizabeth Eldridge, Ross Foundation, Arkadelphia *Dave Elkin, DeQueen *Thomas Faust, Faust Band Sawmill, West Helena +*Joe Fox, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Little Rock Terry Freeman, Bibler Bros. Lumber, Russellville Joe Friend, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Crossett Robert Fry, Weyerhaeuser Co., Hot Springs John W. Gann, Landowner, England Ed Givens, Anthony Timberlands Inc., Bearden John Grigsby, Toler Lumber, Leola Doug Grimmett, Larson & McGowin Inc., El Dorado Caroll Guffey, UAM, Monticello +Jim Guldin, U. S. Forest Service, Hot Springs Greg Hay, Crop Production Services, Conway Robert Head, IberiaBank, Little Rock John Hearnsberger, Weyerhaeuser Co., Hot Springs Jim Hefley, Clark Timberlands, Rison Darwin Hendrix, Landowner, Antoine Glen Hendrix, Delta Natural Kraft, Pine Bluff Ryan Hendrix, Green Bay Packaging, Danville +Judi Henry, Ozark-St. Francis NF, Russellville *Harold Humphries, West Monroe Rhonda Hunter, Weyerhaeuser Co., Hot Springs Kevin Jester, Kevin W. Jester Logging, Arkadelphia Mark Karnes, Ross Foundation, Arkadelphia
*Miles Lacy, Green Bay Packaging Inc., Morrilton Rex Lawrence, Lawrence Land & Timber, Glenwood Ernest Lovett, Larson & McGowin Inc., Boles *John McEntire, Shreveport Thomas McGill, Landowner, Camden Roger Mangham, The Nature Conservancy, Little Rock Tommy Maxwell, Maxwell Hdwood Flooring, Monticello Scott Milburn, Deltic, Wilmar Lee Murphy, Mid-South Engineering, Hot Springs Larry Nance, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Little Rock Jim Neeley, Neeley Forestry, Camden John David Neeley, Neeley Forestry, Camden Travis Oldershaw, Georgia-Pacific, Gurdon Robert Parkes, Parkes Cattle Co., Dover Roland Partain, Anthony Timberlands Inc., Bearden *Ron Pearce, Fairview, TX Mike Pennington, L. D. Long, Inc., Monticello Charles Purtle, Landowner, Prescott Peter Remoy, Plum Creek Timber, Crossett +George Rheinhardt, NRCS, Little Rock Steve Richardson, Richardson Wood Co., Warren Scott Rowland, Neill Forestry, Magnolia Mack Smith, Idaho Timber, Carthage Mike Staten, Anderson-Tully, Lake Village Richard Stich, Plum Creek, Crossett +Phil Tappe, School of Forest Resources, Monticello Bobby Taylor, Taylor & Lunsford, Sheridan Roger Taylor, Campbell Group, Monticello Doug Teale, Domtar Industries, Ashdown Scott Thomas, International Paper, Texarkana Tom Tomlinson, Molpus Timberlands, Monroe, LA +Norman Wagoner, Ouachita NF, Hot Springs *R. V. Warner, Warren Tammy Waters, Domtar Industries, Ashdown Bruce Westerman, Mid South Engineering, Hot Springs Ross Whipple, Whipple Family Lands, Arkadelphia Rodney Wishard, Kingwood Forestry, Monticello Matt Williams, Weyerhaeuser Co., DeQueen Jim Woodruff, Landowner, Rogers
Forestry achievements honored at Annual Meeting LOGGER OF THE YEAR
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Roy Hodges
or Roy Hodges, success is the result of having a dependable crew that does high-quality work. “I can’t do this by myself,” he said. “And if you’re going to have your name on the side of a truck, you have to be a professional.” Roy Hodges Logging has been in business since 1990 and is a contractor for Deltic Timber Corporation. His 11 crew members operate six trucks and trailers, three loaderdelimbers, four skidders, two cutting machines, one dozer and two lowboys. Crew members are cross-trained and there is little turn over. “Timber production is just one piece of the puzzle,” he said. “We have to leave it ready for what comes next.” “Roy and his crew often work tracts that are visible from high-traffic areas and they do it professionally, paying attention to detail, Best Management Practices and safety,” said Bill Whiting, with Deltic. “He is also a good business man, having managed through trying economic circumstances.” Recently elected to the Arkansas Timber Producers Association’s board of directors. Hodges believes strongly in the mission of associations. “We have to have one voice,” he said. “To get someone to listen to our issues, we have to have strength in numbers.”
COMMUNICATORS OF THE YEAR
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Allen and Ginny Nipper
llen and Ginny Nipper and their family own land in Arkansas and Louisiana and are actively involved in its management. The Nippers’ primary goal is to increase the value of their land for their own profit and smoothly transition its management to their adult children one day. Years ago, both Ginny and Allen experienced numerous issues with the intergenerational transfer of family land. Some of those experiences still impact them today. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. The Nippers have attended many different conferences and participated in meetings regarding intergenerational transfer. Unfortunately, they realized many of the issues they, and others, encountered could have been prevented with family communication. So, the Nipper family began meeting with their children to discuss asset and property management. The Nippers’ experiences led them to develop the Landowner Legacy Communication program in 2006— LandownerLegacy.com. It is designed to help others learn how to conduct family meetings. They have taken their seminar across the country to help families begin communicating.
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ip Queathem, of Pine Bluff, has been a part of Arkansas Log A Load For Kids from the beginning. He has been involved in the Central Arkansas committee and the statewide campaign. Since the program began in 1993, Log A Load For Kids has raised more than $5.5 million for Arkansas Children’s Hospital (ACH). “Kip takes so much pride in fundraising for ACH. He is a great spokesman for all the forestry industry and its involvement in Log A Load For Kids,” said Bobby Taylor. In 2011, Kip made remarks on behalf of the logging and forestry community at the investiture ceremony for Dr. Michiaki Imamura, holder of the Log A Load For Kids Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Surgery. For 19 years, Kip has attended countless campaign kickoffs, hospital tours, planning meetings and other events.
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W.J. Thomasson
ome people fix up cars for a hobby, but W.J. Thomasson, of Pansy, likes to buy pieces of land and see what he can do. “I have thoroughly enjoyed forestry as a hobby and working with a host of trained people who have given me new ideas and techniques. The Lord has been so good to me and allowed me to harvest trees that I planted years ago,” Thomasson said. Today, his Tree Farm properties total 1,329 acres in South Central Arkansas. “After retiring from International Paper in 1988, I began doing some consulting work and enjoyed it very much,” he said. “It also afforded the proceeds to purchase more land and improve it.” Thomasson’s Tree Farm is a mosaic of natural and planted pine stands, food plots, roads, fire lanes and wildlife habitat. He has participated in Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Southern Pine Beetle Prevention Program and other cost-share initiatives. “Mr. Thomasson is unique person who spends a great deal of time and energy making sure his children and grandchildren will have a secure future and plenty of forest to enjoy,” said Robert Murphy, with the Arkansas Forestry Commission.
PRESIDENT’S AWARD
OUTSTANDING LOG A LOAD FOR KIDS VOLUNTEER
Kip Queathem
OUTSTANDING TREE FARMER
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Susan Glaze
n April of 2011, Susan Glaze retired after 36 years of serving as AFA’s Administrative Director. During her tenure, Susan worked with six executive vice presidents and 20 presidents. “No one has given more to AFA and forestry than Susan Glaze,” said AFA President Allen Morgan. “I cannot imagine a more worthwhile recipient of the President’s Award and I am honored to present it to her.” In addition to bookkeeping, membership administration, office management and other duties, Susan planned the annual meeting and spring board of directors meeting, coordinated the Arkansas Tree Farm program and revived Project Learning Tree in the state. While at AFA, Susan served as an officer of the Arkansas Society of Association Executives and volunteered for numerous organizations.
‘Membership,’
continued from front controllable costs wherever possible. The 2012 expense budget is $6,000 less than in 2008, despite that fact that health care and other business costs have risen dramatically. To help close the gap created by the drop in dues, we implemented a number of non-dues income initiatives. These efforts have helped, but have not provided the level of financial stability we need. At best, we expect to finish 2012 at break even. The staff and Executive Committee have been discussing this dilemma for more than a year, and have concluded that without a new direction, there will soon be no significant reserve available, should the need arise to fight a critical political or regulatory battle, or to withstand another economic downturn. With these factors in mind, we conducted a thorough review of the AFA membership
database and compared our dues structure with other southern forestry associations. We found that AFA dues rank at or near the bottom. While this fact alone does not justify the need for change, it does verify that we have an opportunity to support AFA in a way that will allow us to deliver the value you expect and more align our dues structure with that of our colleagues. Here are a few important facts about the new structure: •
Most dues categories will see a onetime dues increase. For instance, an Individual Membership will move from $30 to $40.
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Large dues payers—forest products manufactures and large landowners—are in the membership categories that are most below the average dues paid across the south. It is neither feasible to move to the average nor make meaningful improvements in one year. Thus, a three-year schedule is in place.
Again, AFA dues have only been increased one time in over 20 years—a roughly 10 percent increase approved in 2007. Few, if any, businesses or organizations can remain viable taking that approach. A dues increase is never easy and rarely popular. But, it is necessary if AFA is to continue to meet the growing needs of our members, while striving to deliver on our mission: The Arkansas Forestry Association advocates for the sustainable use and sound stewardship of Arkansas’s forests and related resources to benefit members of the state’s forestry community and all Arkansans, today and in the future The dues adjustment will appear on membership invoices starting the last week of December and thereafter. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at (501) 374-2441 or mbraswell@arkforests. org if you have questions. We value your membership and input.